Paul Clammer - Lonely Planet Dominican Republic & Haiti

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Much more than beach resorts, this is one of the Caribbeans most geographically diverse countries, from stunning mountain scenery to desert scrublands, not to mention an evocative colonial architecture and warm welcoming people

The DRs hundreds of miles of coastline some of it picturesque white-sand beaches shaded by rows of palm trees, other parts lined dramatically with rocky cliffs or backed by wind-swept dunes or serene mangrove lagoons define the country. Whether its fishing villages where the shoreline is used for mooring boats, indulgent tourist playgrounds with aquamarine waters, small towns where the social glue is all-night merengue blasting from modest corner stores, or cities like Santo Domingo, the Caribbeans largest, the sea is the common denominator, symbolizing both limits and escapes. Even with their glory days behind them, former engines of industry like crumbling San Pedro de Macoris or Puerto Plata still see waves crash over their Malecns. Some of the bays and coves where pirates once roamed are the temporary home of thousands of migrating humpback whales, and part of an extensive network of parks and preserves safeguarding the countrys natural patrimony.

Beyond the capital, much of the DR is distinctly rural: driving in the vast fertile interior, youll see cows and horses grazing alongside the roads, tractors ploughing large fields, and trucks and burros loaded down with produce. Further inland youll encounter vistas reminiscent of the European Alps, rivers carving their way through lush jungle and stunning waterfalls, small towns where life revolves around the Parque Central, and villages ruled by the suns rhythms. Four of the five highest peaks in the Caribbean rise above the fertile lowlands surrounding Santiago and remote deserts extend through the southwest, giving the DR a physical and cultural complexity not found on other islands.

The countrys roller-coaster past, a history of migrations of various peoples, is writ large in the diversity of ethnicities, not to mention the physical design of its towns and cities. Santo Domingos Zona Colonial exudes romance with white-washed and pastel-colored buildings, flowers blooming through wrought-iron filigree, beautifully restored monasteries and cobblestone streets where conquistadors once roamed. The crumbling gingerbread homes of Puerto Plata and Santiago remain from more prosperous eras, and scars from decades of misrule are marked by monuments where today people gather to celebrate. New communities have arisen only a few kilometers from the ruins where Christopher Columbus strode and where the indigenous Tano people left physical traces of their presence carved onto rock walls.

Tropical beaches and aquamarine seas, Isla Saona
CHRIS MELLOR/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Take a walk through history in the oldest city in the New World. With its cobblestone streets and beautifully restored mansions, its easy to imagine Santo Domingos landmark quarter as the seat of Spains 16th-century empire. But the past and present coexist rather gracefully here; follow in the footsteps of pirates and conquistadors one moment, the next pop into a shop selling CDs from the latest Dominican merengue star.

MARGIE POLITZER/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Sun, Sea & Sand at Playa Rincn, DR

Consistently rated one of the top beaches in the Caribbean by those in the know people who courageously brave heatstroke and sunburn in a quest for the ideal Rincn is large enough for every day-tripper to claim their own piece of real estate without nosy neighbors peeking over the seaweed and driftwood. A thick palm forest provides the backdrop and fresh seafood can be served upon request.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MINISTRY OF TOURISM/ www.GODOMINICANREPUBLIC.COM

La Citadelle la Ferrire, Haiti

If ever a country settled on making a statement of intent on winning its independence, Haiti found it in the mighty Citadelle la Ferrire. A giant battleship of a fortress sitting atop a mountain crag, with a Versailles-like ruined palace at its base, it commands its landscape as a proud symbol of the worlds first black republic. Epic in concept and execution and largely hidden from the worlds gaze, it easily holds its own against the best historical sites the Americas can offer.

STEPHEN SAKS/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Leisurely Las Galeras, DR

This sleepy fishing village at the far eastern end of the Pennsula de Saman is an escape from your getaway. Fewer tourists and therefore less development means that the area around Las Galeras includes some of the more scenic locales in all the DR. Swaying palm trees back beaches ready-made for a movie set, and waves crash over hard-to-get-to cliffs. For at least one sunset, venture out to Restaurant El Cabito, where you might glimpse migrating whales and a dolphin or two.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MINISTRY OF TOURISM/ www.GODOMINICANREPUBLIC.COM

Baha de Las guilas, DR

The remoteness and loneliness add savor and spice to the adventure of getting to Baha de Las guilas, a stunning 10km-long stretch of yellow sand. That you have to take a boat to get there and that there wont be any tourists there except for you transform it into one of the most beautiful beaches in the country.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MINISTRY OF TOURISM/ www.GODOMINICANREPUBLIC.COM

Santo Domingo Nightlife & Dancing, DR

Get dressed to the nines, do some stretching and get your dance moves on. Nightclubs in the seaside resort hotels host some of the best merengue and salsa bands this side of Havana. No museum showcase, even the Zona Colonial is chockablock with bars, from trendy hangouts for the fashionable set to loud and sweaty corner stores for locals.